City announces Third Annual We BOS Week to support women entrepreneurs

This year's theme, "Get Inspired, Get Connected, Get Funded, Get Big" aims to address challenges in funding, mentorship and growing women-led businesses

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BOSTON - Thursday, October 5, 2017 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh, the Mayor's Office of Economic Development and the Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement today announced the third annual Women Entrepreneurs Boston (WE BOS) Week, a week-long series of events designed to support women entrepreneurs beginning on Monday, October 16. Curated around this year's theme, "Get Inspired, Get Connected, Get Funded, Get Big," WE BOS Week is comprised of networking opportunities, educational workshops, panel discussions and coaching sessions with industry leaders and investors.

"In Boston we believe that when women succeed, we all succeed. That's why it's so important that we continue lifting up our women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs," said Mayor Walsh. "I am proud to host the third annual WE BOS Week along with Boston's women leaders to create and support opportunities to promote women entrepreneurs and ensure economic equity."

Hosted in partnershipwith organizations throughout Boston and across industries, WE BOS Week helps women entrepreneurs build their networks and learn new skills to scale and grow their businesses. Over the past two years, more than 2,000 women participated in over 40 WE BOS Week events in partnership with 15 organizations.

"While 35 percent of Boston businesses are women-owned and we enjoy a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, women-led startups still receive significantly less funding," said Kara Miller, Women Entrepreneurs Boston Program Manager. "WE BOS Week events and workshops will address this challenge -- as well as hurdles to growing and scaling businesses -- head-on, and I look forward to working with the startup and broader business community to build on our past success and advance Boston's women entrepreneurs."

The annual WE BOS Week kick-off celebration will be held in partnership with Mass Innovation Nights (MIN) at Women Founders Night at WeWork South Station, where 12 women-led startups will showcase their businesses. The week will also feature free events throughout the City, nearly 200 office hours with leading venture capital firms and accelerators, an entrepreneur pitch contest hosted by The Refinery, instructional workshops, and curated networking opportunities.

"Boston has an incredible support system for startups and women entrepreneurs, and initiatives like WE BOS Week are just one way we highlight these resources," said Bobbie Carlton, founder of MIN and Innovation Women. "As we kick-off the third annual WE BOS Week with Mass Innovation Nights #103, we are highlighting not only female founded companies but the support we enjoy from Mayor Walsh, the City of Boston and our extended local community."

For a complete list of events happening throughout WE BOS Week, visit we-bos.com or follow @we_bos on Twitter.

About WE BOS

The WE BOS program advances Boston's women entrepreneurs by providing the resources and network they need launch and grow their business. Since the launch of the program last fall over 1,500 women have participated in WE BOS through one-on-one coaching, educational programming, and networking opportunities. In partnership with the Mayor's office of Women's Advancement and the Mayor's Office of Economic Development, WE BOS supports all women entrepreneurs, including startups, home-based businesses and the established brick-and-mortar mainstays of Boston's neighborhoods, with the goal to increase the number of established women entrepreneurs in the City of Boston and to strengthen and grow Boston's existing women-owned businesses. Learn more on their website.

About the Mayor's Office of Economic DevelopmentThe Economic Development Cabinet's mission is to make Boston an appealing and accessible place for working families, entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors to innovate, grow, and thrive in a way that fosters inclusion, broadens opportunity, and shares prosperity, thereby enhancing the quality of life for all Bostonians and the experience for all visitors. Learn more on their website.

About the Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement

In June 2014, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh created the Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement to prioritize advocating for equal opportunity for women and girls in the City of Boston. The Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement creates specific programming and opportunities that support three priority areas: economic equity, health and safety, and data and research. Some of the office's most recent work includes: research on paid parental leave and childcare affordability; a multi-pronged approach to closing the gender wage gap; reducing the demand for sex trafficking in the City of Boston; and creating specific programming for women entrepreneurs. Learn more on their website.